Device for the printing of long repeat distance designs

ABSTRACT

A process and device for the continuous printing of overall repeated designs by means of rotating printing screens, characterized in that the total repeat distance of the overall design consists of at least two portions being printed by at least two separate rotary screens or groups of rotary screens. One rotary screen or group of rotary screens always remains in contact with the sheet of material while the remaining rotary screens or groups of rotary screens are lowered selectively onto the sheet of material to be printed for the purpose of printing.

United States Patent 1 Zimmer 1 1 DEVICE FOR THE PRINTING OF LONG REPEAT DISTANCE DESIGNS {76] lnventor;

6330 Kufstein, Austria Notice, The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Sept, 10, 1991, has been disclaimed.

1211 Fiied: Apr. 8, 1974 [Z11 App1.No.:459,201

Reiated 11.5. Application Data 1631 Continuation of Ser, No 256,559, May 24, 1972,

Peter Zimmer, Untere Sparchen 54,

1,840,073 H1932 Williams 101/123 2,893,310 7/1959 Johnson 101/182 3,313,232 4/1967 \'an 1erWinden 1111/118 3,541,953 11/1970 Rochford H 101/219 X 3,587,458 6/1971 Feier eta1...., 101/120X 3.774.533 11/1973 Ichinose 101/119 3,774,534 11/1973 lchinose. M 101/11; 3,834,309 9/1974 Zintmer. t 101/115 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPL1CAT1ONS 2,054,570 5/1971 Germany 1(11/116 Primary E.t'aminerEdgar S, Burr Assistant Examiner-11. E, Suter Attorney, Agent, or FirrriWenderoth, Lind & Ponack 1 1 ABSTRACT A process and device for the continuous printing of overa11 repeated designs by means of rotating printing screens, characterized in that the total repeat distance of the overall design consists o1 at least two portions being printed by at least two separate rotary screens or groups of rotary screens, One rotar screen or group of rotary screens always remains in contact with the sheet of materia1 while the remaining rotary screens or groups of rotary screens are lowered selectively onto the sheet of material to be printed for the 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Purpm of pr'mmg rsmsw 9/1934 Taniberlin 101/199 0 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 6 14 I5 1 J O O 1 1 1 I5; I: j :1 1

-5-+- L,' i- LLi l i i l 18 -21 20 16 I? US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,522

F/Gf 1 rvNA DEVICE FOR THE PRINTING F LONG REPEAT DISTANCE DESIGNS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 256.559, filed May 24. 1972. now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process and a device for the continuous printing on fabric. by means of rotating printing screens. designs which are repeated at predetermined intervals. The present invention particularly relates to such a process and device for the printing of border type" designs wherein the overall repeated pattern consists of a smaller pattern which is repeated an integral number of times within the overall pattern and with a transverse and longitudinal border surrounding the overall pattern.

In order to print repeated designs having relatively long distances between repeats by a continuous working process it has been necessary hitherto to use rotary screens with an accordingly large diameter. In addition to inherent technical difficulties. this practice is uneconomical due to considerable costs for screens and machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an economical device and process for printing repeated designs with a relatively great distance between repeats of the design. particularly of border type" designs.

This object is achieved according to the present invention by providing that the total length of the overall repeated design consists of not less than two portions. Each portion is printed by separate printing means including a rotary screen or group of rotary screens. The rotary screens of all but the first group of rotary screens are selectively raised from and lowered onto the sheet of material to be printed at the respective portions to be printed thereby. Hereafter. the term total repeat distance will be employed to mean the distance from the beginning to the end of the overall repeated pattern or design. In this way it is possible to distribute the total repeat distance of the design onto the circumferences of two or more rotary screens and to print the sheet of material, even in a multicolor print. by direct succession of such rotary screens.

With border type" designs. the overall repeated design consists of at least two smaller patterns which are repeated within the total repeat distance of the overall repeated pattern. Each smaller repeated pattern consists of a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length. Hereafter, the term short repeat distance" will be employed to refer to the length of the shorter repeated pattern. including the combined lengths of the first and second portions thereof. The border type design has a transverse border equal in length to the second portion. printed in place of the second portion of the last printed shorter repeat pattern of the overall repeated design.

The total repeat distance for border type designs therefor comprises at least two short repeat distances.

It is a further feature of the invention that the circum ference of each of the rotary screens is equal to the short repeat distance and the total repeat distance is an integral multiple of the short repeat distance. The short repeat distance corresponding to the length of one short repeated design preferably is divided into two unequally long portions. the second portion preferably being the shorter one and corresponding to the length of the transverse border. The first portion of the short repeat distance. preferably being longer than the second portion, is printed by means of a rotary screen whose circumference according to the invention is equal to the short repeat distance. Such rotary screen however. has a portion of the circumference thereof corresponding to the length of the second portion unperforated so that the second portion is not printed thereby. The second portion is printed by means of a second rotary screen whose circumference also is equal to the short repeat distance and which circumference is provided only in the aligning area with the second portion with perforations or an engraving corresponding to the design of the second portion. As the printing of the overall design approaches the border. i.e., the second portion of the last shorter repeated pattern. the second rotary screen is lifted so that the sheet of material remains unprinted in this portion. At the same time a third rotary screen having the same circumference is lowered onto the sheet of material for the purpose of printing the transverse border. This third rotary screen is provided with the perforations or engravings corresponding to the pattern of the border. The third screen is lifted from the sheet of material after having printed the transverse border.

Instead of one printing screen for each of the above discussed operations. several rotary screens. corresponding to the number of colors with multicolor printing, may be used. In order to obtain a satisfactory and clean printing with sharp outlines. the rotary screens or groups of rotary screens for performing the above operations on the printing device are mounted in the sequence discussed above. The first rotary screen or group of rotary screens is left in contact with the sheet of material during the entire printing process.

An embodiment of the invention for the production of a border type design is described in detail below without the invention being limited. however. to such specific embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a diagrammatic illustration of a border type design; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a rotary screen printing machine according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I is a diagrammatic view of one type of a border type design to be printed. The stripe l of length a is the first portion, and stripe 2 of length b is the second portion of the short repeated design with length 0, corresponding to the short repeat distance. In the embodiment according to FIG. I, five short repeated designs are employed to form one overall design. having a total repeat distance and which may be repeated. With reference to FIG. 2, the first portion is printed by a first rotary screen or, with multi-color printing, by a group of rotary screens 8 which are always maintained in contact with the material, the second portion is printed by a second rotary screen or a group of rotary screens 9, and the border 3 is printed by a third rotary screen or a group of rotary screens 10.

The short repeat distance consisting of the two portions with the lengths a and is at least once fully printed. and in the illustrated embodiment is printed four times. this corresponding to four revolutions of the rotary screens. With the fifth rotation, only a shortened repeat distance is printed. that is only the first portion having length a is printed. This is caused by lifting out of contact with the sheet of material the rotary screen or group of rotary screens 9 provided with the perforations or engraving for the second portion The border with the length h is printed on the unprinted stripe 3 by lowering the third rotary screen or group of rotary screens 10 which had previously been lifted out of contact with the sheet of material.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a rotary screen printing machine according to the present invention for carrying out the process of the invention. The sheet of material 4 is placed at the feeding side 5 of the printing machine onto the endless printer's blanket 6 which runs via guide roller 7. The first two printing mecha nisms 8 carry rotary screens whose circumference is only partly perforated or engraved. The length of the engraved circumference corresponds to the first portion having length a of the short repeat distance in FIG. 1. With the first of the two printing mechanisms 3 a first color, for example, red, is printed and with the second screen 8, a second color such as blue is printed. The two following printing screen mechanisms 9 have engraved or perforated rotary screens the engraved circumferences of which correspond to the second portion having length b of the short repeat distance and print the same two colors as screens 8. The perforated circumferential lengths of the rotary screens of printing mechanisms 8 and 9 together equal short repeat distance c. Printing mechanisms 10 carry rotary screens the circumferences of which have perforated portions also equal in length to the second portion having length b of the short repeat distance. Printing mechanisms 8 always remain in contact with the material. For any desired but integral number of rotations the rotary screens of printing mechanisms 9 remain in contact with the sheet of material to be printed. When the sheet of material reaches such point that the last second por tion of the overall repeated design, i.e., stripe 3, would be printed, then rotary screens 9 along with their screen supports are lifted so that they are out of contact with the sheet of material, and thus stripe 3 is not printed by screens 9. However, the screens still rotate, even in the lifted position, by e.g., maintaining engagement between the conventional gear on the screen (not shown) and the conventional drive gear of screen transmission system ll. Subsequently, when stripe 3 reaches the position of the rotary screens of the printing mechanisms 10, screens 10 are lowered into contact with the sheet of material 4 to be printed, such that the stripe 3 with the length b having been unprinted by screens 9 is printed by screens 10. Printing mechanisms 10 are lifted again immediately after this operative rotation, and printing mechanisms 9 are again lowered.

For the purpose of lifting and lowering the printing mechanisms, i.e., for moving the screens 9 and 10 into and out of contact with sheet 4, a rotary motion is supplied to a gear by the end 14 of transmission shaft 12. Transmission shaft 12 imparts rotary motion to the screens through housings 13 positioned in the longitudinal direction of the machine and having therein transmission systems ll. Transmission systems H and housings 13 may be of any known construction. Gear 15 is designed to transfer to a cam shaft 16 a reduced speed based on the number of revolutions of the rotary screens and specifically on the number of short repeat distances in the total repeat distance. The speed of shaft 16 compared to the speed of shaft 12 should be in the ratio 1 n. The 11" corresponds to the number of revolutions which are performed by the printing unit 8 upon printing of a complete design sequence from border to border. i.e., of a total repeat distance. The cant shaft 16 is supported by bearings, e.g.. at l7, l8 and 19. The cam shaft 16 performs itself a full rotation during n-rotations of the rotary screens. Underneath printing mechanisms 9 and 10 cam plates 20 are provided which lift and lower. by means of a suitable mechanism such as a projection at their circumference and by a lifting carriage 21, the rotary screens of the printing mechanisms 9 and 10 along with the screen supports thereof, in the above discussed operational sequence. it will be understood that the cam surfaces of cam plates 20 are easily designed in a known manner to achieve the desired lifting and lowering sequence.

The invention is not limited to the specifically illustrated lifting device.

I claim:

1. A process for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated. said overall design including at least a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length. said process comprising:

A. passing said sheet of material between a printing support surface and a first rotary screen means and printing said first portion only;

B. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a second rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material, lowering said second rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said second portion only, and thereafter immediately raising said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material, thereby completing the printing of said overall design; and

C. repeating steps (A) and (B) above while always maintaining said first rotary screen means in contact with said sheet of material.

2. A process for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated and which has a total repeat length, said overall design including at least two shorter patterns which are repeated within the total repeat length of the overall design. each of said shorter patterns having a short repeat length including a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length, said overall design further in cluding a transverse border pattern on the second portion of the last printed of said shorter patterns of said overall design, said process comprising:

A. passing said sheet of material between a printing support surface and a first rotary screen means and printing said first portions only of each of said shorter patterns;

B. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a second rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material, lowering said second rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said second portions only of all but said last printed of said shorter patterns, and thereafter raising said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material prior to said second por tion of said last printed of said shorter patterns being positioned adjacent said second rotary screen means;

C. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a third rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material. lowering said third rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said transverse border pattern only on said second portion of said last printed of said shorter patterns, and thereafter immediately raising said third rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material. thereby completing the printing of said overall design; and

D. repeating steps (A) through (C) above while always maintaining said first rotary screen means in contact with said sheet of material.

3. A device for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated. said overall design including at least a first portion of a first length and a second portion ofa second length, said de vice comprising:

a printing machine frame having a surface thereon for passage of said sheet of material;

a first rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said first portion only. said first rotary screen means being mounted so that said at least one rotary screen thereof is permanently in contact with said sheet of material on said surface;

a second rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said second portion only, said second rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface. said second rotary screen means being mounted downstream. in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means; and

means mounted on said machine frame and operatively connected to said second rotary screen means for moving said at least one rotary screen thereof out of contact with said sheet of material when said first portion is adjacent said second rotary screen means. and for moving said at least one rotary screen thereof into contact with said sheet of material when said second portion is adjacent said second rotary screen means.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the circumferential length of each of said rotary screens of said first and second rotary screen means is equal to the total length of said overall design.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4. wherein each of said rotary screens of said first rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof, the length of said part being equal to said length of said first portion, and each of said rotary screens of said second rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof. the length of such part being equal to said length of said second portion.

6. A device as claimed in claim 3, further comprisng means to rotate each of said rotary screens of said first and second rotary screen means at the same circumferential speed; and wherein said means for moving said second rotary screen means comprises a cam shaft mounted on said machine frame and having cams thereon for lifting and lowering said second rotary screen means, and gear means operatively connected to said means to rotate and said cam shaft for imparting to said cam shaft a rotational speed which is an integral fraction of the rotational speed of said rotary screens.

7. A device for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated and which has a total repeat length. said overall design including at least two shorter patterns which are repeated within the total repeat length of the overall design. each of said shorter patterns having a short repeat length including a first portion ofa first length and a second portion of a second length, said overall design further including a transverse border pattern on the second portion of the last printed of said shorter patterns of said overall design. said device comprising:

a printing machine frame having a surface thereon for passage of said sheet of material;

a first rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said first portion only of each of said shorter patterns. said first rotary screen means being mounted so that said at least one rotary screen thereof is permanently in contact with said sheet of material on said surface;

a second rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said second portion only of all but said last printed of said shorter patterns, said second rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface. said second rotary screen means being mounted downstream. in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means;

a third rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said transverse border pattern only on said second portion of said last printed of said shorter patterns. said third rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface. said third rotary screen means being mounted downstream. in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means; and

means mounted on said machine frame and operatively connected to said second and third rotary screen means for moving said at least one rotary screen of said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material when said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern is adjacent said second rotary screen means, for moving into contact with said sheet of material said at least one rotary screen of said second rotary screen means after said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern has passed thereby. for moving said at least one rotary screen of said third rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material when said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern is adjacent said third rotary screen means. and for moving out of contact with said sheet of material said at least one rotary screen of said third rotary screen means after said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern has passed thereby.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the circumferential length of each of said rotary screens of said first, second and third rotary screen means is equal to the short repeat length of each of said shorter patterns.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said rotary screens of said first rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof. the length of said part being equal to said moving said second and third rotary screen means comprises a cam shaft mounted on said machine frame hav ing cams thereon for lifting and lowering said second and third rotary screen means, and gear means operatively connected to said means to rotate and said cam shaft for imparting to said cam shaft a rotational speed which is an integral fraction of the rotational speed of said rotary screens. 

1. A process for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated, said overall design including at least a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length, said process comprising: A. passing said sheet of material between a printing support surface and a first rotary screen means and printing said first portion only; B. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a second rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material, lowering said second rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said second portion only, and thereafter immediately raising said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material, thereby completing the printing of said overall design; and C. repeating steps (A) and (B) above while always maintaining said first rotary screen means in contact with said sheet of material.
 2. A process for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated and which has a total repeat length, said overall design including at least two shorter patterns which are repeated within the total repeat length of the overall design, each of said shorter patterns having a short repeat length including a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length, said overall design further including a transverse border pattern on the second portion of the last printed of said shorter patterns of said overall design, said process comprising: A. passing said sheet of material between a printing support surface and a first rotary screen means and printing said first portions only of each of said shorter patterns; B. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a second rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material, lowering said second rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said second portions only of all but said last printed of said shorter patterns, and thereafter raising said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material prior to said second portion of said last printed of said shorter patterns being positioned adjacent said second rotary screen means; C. subsequently passing said sheet of material to a position adjacent a third rotary screen means which has been maintained out of contact with said sheet of material, lowering said third rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material to print said transverse border pattern only on said second portion of said last printed of said shorter patterns, and thereafter immediately raising said third rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material, thereby completing the printing of said overall design; and D. repeating steps (A) through (C) above while always maintaining said first rotary screen means in contact with said sheet of material.
 3. A device for the continuous priNting on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated, said overall design including at least a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length, said device comprising: a printing machine frame having a surface thereon for passage of said sheet of material; a first rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said first portion only, said first rotary screen means being mounted so that said at least one rotary screen thereof is permanently in contact with said sheet of material on said surface; a second rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said second portion only, said second rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface, said second rotary screen means being mounted downstream, in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means; and means mounted on said machine frame and operatively connected to said second rotary screen means for moving said at least one rotary screen thereof out of contact with said sheet of material when said first portion is adjacent said second rotary screen means, and for moving said at least one rotary screen thereof into contact with said sheet of material when said second portion is adjacent said second rotary screen means.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the circumferential length of each of said rotary screens of said first and second rotary screen means is equal to the total length of said overall design.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said rotary screens of said first rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof, the length of said part being equal to said length of said first portion, and each of said rotary screens of said second rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof, the length of such part being equal to said length of said second portion.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 3, further comprisng means to rotate each of said rotary screens of said first and second rotary screen means at the same circumferential speed; and wherein said means for moving said second rotary screen means comprises a cam shaft mounted on said machine frame and having cams thereon for lifting and lowering said second rotary screen means, and gear means operatively connected to said means to rotate and said cam shaft for imparting to said cam shaft a rotational speed which is an integral fraction of the rotational speed of said rotary screens.
 7. A device for the continuous printing on a sheet of material of an overall design which is repeated and which has a total repeat length, said overall design including at least two shorter patterns which are repeated within the total repeat length of the overall design, each of said shorter patterns having a short repeat length including a first portion of a first length and a second portion of a second length, said overall design further including a transverse border pattern on the second portion of the last printed of said shorter patterns of said overall design, said device comprising: a printing machine frame having a surface thereon for passage of said sheet of material; a first rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said first portion only of each of said shorter patterns, said first rotary screen means being mounted so that said at least one rotary screen thereof is permanently in contact with said sheet of material on said surface; a second rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said second portion only of all but said last printed of said shorter patterns, said second rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface, said second rotary screen means being mounted Downstream, in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means; a third rotary screen means having at least one rotary screen for printing said transverse border pattern only on said second portion of said last printed of said shorter patterns, said third rotary screen means being mounted for movement of said at least one rotary screen thereof into and out of contact with said sheet of material on said surface, said third rotary screen means being mounted downstream, in the direction of movement of said sheet of material, of said first rotary screen means; and means mounted on said machine frame and operatively connected to said second and third rotary screen means for moving said at least one rotary screen of said second rotary screen means out of contact with said sheet of material when said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern is adjacent said second rotary screen means, for moving into contact with said sheet of material said at least one rotary screen of said second rotary screen means after said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern has passed thereby, for moving said at least one rotary screen of said third rotary screen means into contact with said sheet of material when said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern is adjacent said third rotary screen means, and for moving out of contact with said sheet of material said at least one rotary screen of said third rotary screen means after said second portion of said last printed shorter pattern has passed thereby.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the circumferential length of each of said rotary screens of said first, second and third rotary screen means is equal to the short repeat length of each of said shorter patterns.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said rotary screens of said first rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof, the length of said part being equal to said length of said first portions, and each of said rotary screens of said second and third rotary screen means has printing means in a part only of the circumference thereof, each such part being equal in length to said length of said second portions.
 10. A device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means to rotate each of said rotary screens of said first, second and third rotary screen means at the same circumferential speed; and wherein said means for moving said second and third rotary screen means comprises a cam shaft mounted on said machine frame having cams thereon for lifting and lowering said second and third rotary screen means, and gear means operatively connected to said means to rotate and said cam shaft for imparting to said cam shaft a rotational speed which is an integral fraction of the rotational speed of said rotary screens. 